#employee awareness

[jcmarchi]

Spamouflage's advanced deceptive behavior reinforces need for strong email security

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/spamouflages-advanced-deceptive-behavior-reinforces-need-for-strong-email-security/

Spamouflage's advanced deceptive behavior reinforces need for strong email security

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Ahead of the U.S. elections, adversaries are weaponizing social media to gain political sway. Russian and Iranian efforts have become increasingly aggressive and transparent. However, China appears to have taken a more carefully calculated and nuanced approach.

China’s seeming disinformation efforts have little to do with positioning one political candidate as preferable to another. Rather, the country’s maneuvers may aim to undermine trust in voting systems, elections and America, in general; amplifying criticism and sowing discord.

Spamouflage

In recent months, the Chinese disinformation network, known as Spamouflage, has pursued “advanced deceptive behavior.” It has quietly launched thousands of accounts across more than 50 domains, and used them to target people across the United States.

The group has been active since 2017, but has recently reinforced its efforts.

Fake profiles

The Spamouflage network’s fake online accounts present fake identities, which sometimes change on a whim. The accounts/profiles have been spotted on X, TikTok and elsewhere.

For example: Harlan claimed to be a New York resident and an Army veteran, age 29. His profile picture showed a well-groomed young man. However, a few months later, his account shifted personas. Suddenly, Harlan appeared to be from Florida and a 31 year-old Republican influencer. 

At least four different accounts were found to mimic Trump supporters – part of a tactic with the moniker “MAGAflage.”

The fake profiles, including the fake photos, may have been generated through artificial intelligence tools, according to analysts.

Accounts have exhibited certain patterns, using hashtags like #American, while presenting themselves as voters or groups that “love America” but feel alienated by political issues that range from women’s healthcare to Ukraine.

In June, one post on X read “Although I am American, I am extremely opposed to NATO and the behavior of the U.S. government in war. I think soldiers should protect their own country’s people and territory…should not initiate wars on their own…” The text was accompanied by an image showing NATO’s expansion across Europe.

Email security implications

Disinformation campaigns that create (and weaponize) fake profiles, as described above, will have a high degree of success when crafting and distributing phishing emails, as the emails will appear to come from credible sources.

This makes it essential for organizations to implement and for employees to adhere to advanced verification methods that can ensure the veracity of communications.

Advanced email security protocols

Within your organization, if you haven’t done so already, consider implementing the following:

Multi-factor authentication. Even if credentials are compromised via phishing, MFA can help protect against unauthorized account access.

Email authentication protocols. Technologies such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC can assist with verifying the legitimacy of email senders and spoofing prevention.

Advanced threat detection. Advanced threat detection solutions that are powered by AI and machine learning can enhance email traffic security.

Employee awareness. Remind employees to not only think before they click, but to also think before they link to information – whether in their professional roles or their personal lives.

Incident response plans. Most organizations have incident response plans. But are they routinely updated? Can they address disinformation and deepfake threats?

Further thoughts

To effectively counter threats, organizations need to pursue a dynamic, multi-dimensional approach. But it’s tough.

To get expert guidance, please visit our website or contact our experts. We’re here to help!

[violent138]

Alfred totally brags about the kids in public, simultaneously shading Bruce who cannot defend himself using Batman:

Alfred: "Master Duke was a Gotham Genius Grant finalist at 12, and Miss Gordon holds multiple degrees." *side eyes Bruce*

Bruce:

Or

"Oh, Master Dick restored the car himself, he's got a phenomenal skill with automobiles, much like the late Dr.Wayne himself."

Outsider: "Too bad it skipped you, huh Bruce? Can't even change a spare tire."

Bruce: *seething quietly* "I wonder where he gets it."

And

A visitor to Wayne Manor: "These are lovely portraits."

Alfred: "The work of Master Damian, he's practically a prodigy. It's a relief that someone in the family is appreciative of the arts."

Bruce: "I appreciate art--"

Alfred: "Twelve years of piano lessons and nothing to show for it."

Later in the Cave

Bruce: "I appreciate art."

Alfred: "Apologies Master Bruce, it's a little hard to see things around here as you seem to think black is the last remaining colour in the world."

Bruce:

[infinitelystrangemachinex]

massages forehead So Ambessa hid Mel away because she was a weapon in the literal sense, a mage. But Ambessa came to Piltover for Hextech? And Ambessa had nothing to say to Mel about her powers having visibly awakened? Even when Mel offered to go with Ambessa, giving her the ultimate opportunity to make Mel a weapon for real? And Ambessa made no attempt to find or retrieve Mel - not just her daughter and the remnants of the family Ambessa professes to love, but also her ultimate weapon - when she disappeared? And Ambessa trusted Singed and Viktor on their home turf - neither of them hiding how insane and self-serving they are with every reason to take over Ambessa's soldiers or just blatantly turn on her as soon as it benefits them - more than she trusted Mel? While Caitlyn (and by extension Piltover) was visibly and clearly falling away from Ambessa's teachings before Ambessa's eyes? (as if getting rid of certain people allows piltover to get rid of fascism but we won't get into All That)

Not only do I struggle to be hyped for Mel's powers beyond how amazing and beautiful she looks, but I can't help but feel like Mel is somehow less powerful in season 2 than she was in season 1, and not in an interesting way. As if Mel's ability to bend all of Piltover politics and economics to her will in season 1 now means nothing in season 2? You can argue that Jinx's attack led directly to Mel losing ground in Piltover - because I expected Mel to have to claw back that power without being able to rely on people who are too easily seduced by Ambessa and authoritarianism, and she would have to get creative to go toe to toe with her mother. I expected pushback to her mage identity that she would have to navigate. But instead this went either unwritten, or was ignored or discarded. Instead Mel is removed from the main plot, cutting her off from what made her the most interesting - only for all of Mel's very real talents, her very real powers and abilities, to be not only translated but REPLACED with magical powers she doesn't know how to control, and by the finale, those magic powers are the only powers that are considered real. Mel takes a backseat to Piltover's governing and decisions, a backseat to Jayce of all people who was not only new to politics mere months ago but made poor governing, strategic, and diplomatic decisions when he had that power. In season 1 Mel stayed off the "throne" but she did pull its strings one way or the other, and she makes no attempt at this in season 2

In my least generous suspicions, Mel was gentled and quieted to capitulate to an agenda for other characters who had to be correct and heroic - or wrong and villainous - no matter what the leadup narrative said, given her powers to help sell the game and set up future shows, and was effectively ejected from the Arcane story with faceless soldiers and a role she doesn't want because she was inconvenient there

[yoshifawful64]

HUGE WIN FOR THE FURRIES

[meeks-just-wants-to-scroll]

Inspired by my recent encounters with a Bracken I recorded for a video.

[mikeluciraphgabe]

To the mom who just stole 4 formulas cuz I left the case open (I was gone for like three seconds dawg how did you even get it so fast) hope you and and your baby eat well

I won’t say anything and if someone asks about it, I’ll lie out of my ass

[uncanny-tranny]

The most recent thing to have further radicalized me was the insult of being directly told that healthcare, transportation coverage, and a potential retirement plan were as much a benefit to my employer's eyes as a free fucking t-shirt. A t-shirt.

[bunabi]

Not to be gloomy at 7am but the government really would rather people get longterm medical complications than slow down the economy, and the reaction to this what ? a sigh of relief ? because simple hygeine and wearing masks is too inconvenient ? we will quite literally never be free at this rate

[wuxian-vs-wangji]

How can I bribe you into helping me get a job in the industry, other than promising my undying love, which you already have <3

The industry is horrible and awful, low pay, long hours, no real chance of advancing.

Whenever people touring the station or new interns ask me for advice, I always tell them to change careers lol

[lesmiserabelles]

while i appreciate the new overground names in theory making it easier to navigate, giving them all these different colours is throwing me off sooo much. what do you mean there's yet another blue line to keep track of?! #JustLondonProblems

[perenlop]

confused by the people going “polle represents jimmy’s fear of the company giving him consequences for assaulting anya” because like. why would the pony express give a shit when they’re a cartoonishly horrible company? do you think theyd take sexual abuse seriously when they enable it to happen in the first place via unlocked sleeping quarters? i got the impression that jimmy was more concerned about societal consequences and physical proof of his abuse and the expectation that he needs to take responsibility for it, than about the pony express taking action against him.

[mariemariemaria]

Does anybody else feel like mental health awareness has done very little to help them in material reality

[mrdrhenwardhykle]

This isn’t really a ship I just thought it was cute

[trifoliate-undergrowth]

I went to a thrift store after work in my NPS uniform and a little old lady asked me if I worked there. At the thrift store. The National Parks Service manages your local Savers

[pinacoladamatata]

eating my popcorn watching all this drama go down irt the larian discord server

[knifegrrrl1312]

"The union representing workers at Ten Ten Sinclair has filed a grievance regarding back pay and signing bonuses not being paid.

Workers at the non-profit program agreed to a new six-year deal in March following a strike that lasted three weeks.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees Manitoba (CUPE) confirmed to CTV News a grievance was filed on July 12. They said Ten Ten Sinclair had 45 days from when the new collective agreement was ratified to implement the agreement.

"The grievance is because the employer (Ten Ten Sinclair) has not fulfilled those obligations with respect to back pay and the signing bonus," a spokesperson for CUPE said in an email to CTV News."

@allthecanadianpolitics